Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

I prefer Douglas firs, due to their scent. They are very messy, but who cares?

__________________

__________________5/17/2018: Retired a second time, this time from my volunteer Admin duties. After 10 years of being on the team, and 40,000+ posts, the time just seemed right. It has been such fun to work with all of our Mods and Admins and I plan to stick around as a regular member.

We have a douglas fir that gives the room it's in a nice scent....it doesn't go any farther than that however. I wonder if those huge Christmas light bulbs they used to make cause more scent from a tree because of the heat?

I gave up on live trees the year my daughter went into the hospital for a week after putting up the tree with an asthma attack. On New Years when I took it down she went back for another week. It was enough real tree for me when she was only three. My son and I just finished putting up a 16 ft artifical tree and he decorated the top half off the circular staircase and the balcony. It looks pretty and simple, we only put on about 1/3 of the ornaments.

Our Christmas trees (four so far, and DW is looking for another empty corner...) all smell like dead dinousaurs. Real trees just don't seem to make it through the season here in the desert- we ended up replacing our last real tree in a frantic rush on the day before Christmas. The needles started falling off as soon as we put it up, (three full weeks before Christmas ....) then the branches all started curling up and by Christmas Eve it looked something like you would see on a Charlie Brown Christmas special. I think it was a distribution logistics failure- they probably cut the tree in July in the Yukon and then shipped it to Arizona by stagecoach. So now we celebrate the season with OPEC.

We have always had a real tree, and different types through the decades, and for the life of me I cannot remember ever noticing the smell except when they come into the house and when we take them out. So imho it doesn't really matter what variety of tree you get.

__________________“Would you like an adventure now, or would you like to have your tea first?” J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

I have small white lights on a giant (live) palm in my living room. I leave these lights on all year long as it is festive on the rare occasions when I entertain. I go south for Christmas every year so I don't bother much with decorating here in PA---creche belonging to parents on dining table with many candles, papier mache angels on mantel(given to my Mom by one of her long ago teacher friends), simple fresh blue spruce wreath on front door made by co-worker from a tree on her farm, shrug filled with antique ornaments.

Did real trees for about 35 years. A few years ago bought an antique silver tree, revolving stand, and rotating light wheel that I bought off of E-bay. Only put it up once. Have been lazy and Christmas hasn't been celebrated here in a couple of years (been going to different daughters' houses), so I drag our 7' cactus in front of the front windows, and wrap it in red lights and balls. Looks really good, tall and skinny, doesn't take up much room, and I don't have to throw it out when the season's over.

We put up the teeny tiny ceramic tree with lights mom made years ago in a senior craft class. I get my whiffs from the corner hardware store where 8 foot trees go for $65.00.

One of the bennies from my former employment was a nice smelling wreath which the boss always gave to me because he doesn’t celebrate Christmas, it was an annual gift from a colleague who actually knew the boss well socially, go figure. I can be very happy without real greenery at home, all things considered.

I prefer Douglas firs, due to their scent. They are very messy, but who cares?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martha

No trees or anything here, but I sure like the smell of Balsam fir. When I walk around home and see a balsam tree I always crunch and few needles and take a huff.

OK, I'm not the only one so I will admit it. Although I really do prefer Douglas firs, I don't have a tree either. I haven't had a Christmas tree or put up any Christmas decorations since my divorce 12 years ago. But before then, I used to always buy Douglas firs. I decorated them with the big lights that BbbamI referred to (which are "real Christmas lights" to me), many individually selected ornaments collected over the years, and tinsel. Since my ex was usually at sea at Christmastime, and since we had high ceilings, I usually got a huge 14'-16' tree a week before Christmas, brought it home, and put it up by myself for my daughter and me. If you can't smell a 14' Douglas fir you have a nasal disability!

I do miss having a tree, or is it the sugary Christmas cookies and rum balls by the tree, shared with a child full of wonder and Christmas joy that I miss? After we move north, I may buy some lights and ornaments and start putting one up. Just a small one, though, since there isn't any kid living with me and missing her Daddy any more.

__________________

__________________5/17/2018: Retired a second time, this time from my volunteer Admin duties. After 10 years of being on the team, and 40,000+ posts, the time just seemed right. It has been such fun to work with all of our Mods and Admins and I plan to stick around as a regular member.

Latest Threads

Social Knowledge Community

About Us

This community was started in 2002 as an alternative to a then fee only Motley Fool. The focus of the discussions is on topics related to early retirement and financial independence. The community is moderated to ensure a pleasant experience for our members.